A Two-Hour Irish connection (featuring the Dublin Airport Terminal 1 Lounge)
Polishing Silver
A two-hour back-to-back should be enough to get from an aircraft, pick up my luggage, head back to check in, drop off my luggage and check out the lounge… shouldn’t it?….
In this Tier Point-laden adventure
Getting off the aircraft at Dublin Airport, I was once again at the 200 Gates. Well, one gate across from where I came in a few days before.
Thus, this was a journey that I had been through before. With the stairs climbed and the corridor cleared, I was once again heading to the Irish border.
Thankfully, there were no queues, so I was processed quickly through the Irish border. It seemed this two-hour connection was not going to be much to worry about.
And then I hit the luggage belt.
Oh boy.
It took a good 20 minutes for the luggage belt to warm up, and nearly 30 minutes for my bag to be spat out.
Not my bag admittedly. Mine is a lot less happy.
It’s here. Somewhere.
At least I spent the time checking in for the final segment back to London.
In a lot of ways, I was glad to be going back via London – the prices of airfares to Birmingham shot up to €300 (and then selling out), whilst timings East Midlands and Manchester weren’t working out. London gives lots of options to get home with.
A routing via City Airport has some other advantages… fiscal, believe it or not.
Once reunited with my bag, it was time to go through customs and the exit… and then straight back up to the Check-In Zones.
I took a few minutes to stuff the suitcase with a few more liquid-type items, along with anything else that I could squeeze in, as I wanted to cut time down at security.
Not the general public ones…
I then queued up at the British Airways check-in desks, where there was a small queue, and big families checking in. Thankfully, it only took five minutes to be seen too. I confirmed that I had made the check-in and baggage drop deadline.
With a paper pass issued, the time was heading closer to 4 pm – so I did have to put my skates on.
Not that one…
That one.
Thankfully, business class passengers get Fast Track at Dublin Airport. Sadly, my bags took a couple of attempts to get through the scanners. Eventually, they were cleared to go through and I was free to continue.
Although I’ve read this has been jacked up to €2 per bottle.
Just enough time for a soft drink stop. No, not at the €1 water bottle stations, but in the Dubin Airport T1 Lounge
Dubin Airport T1 Lounge.
If you’ve been around this blog a long time (and thank you if you have), this lounge is in the place where the BMI Lounge and DAA Anna Livia lounges were in the past.
I was checked in at the welcome desk, and out of tradition, turned right to the BMI side of the lounge. At this point – I maybe had 15 minutes to relax before I needed to head to the gate.
Seating
The lounge has been through refurbishment since I was here last – and it looks welcoming for it. There’s a central snack island area, with beverages and cold food items (sandwiches and salads) prepackaged.
To the side, there’s also a bar for those who want alcoholic beverages. I was having a pause at this juncture, as I wanted something liquid and bubbly – so a can of lemon fanta did the trick at this point.
Trust me, a little different thing can make a world of difference in the taste buds.
I didn’t get my laptop out to sort the world out – mainly as I wasn’t hanging around for long here.
In fact – by the time I had got down to the bottom of the lemon Fanta can, it was time to jog on, with 35 minutes before departure. Given that I was heading out from the 200 gates (from whence I arrived), I would need to get my backside into gear.
It’s more than a passable lounge – although I would have liked a bit more time in before I had to rush for the aircraft to London.
Heading back downstairs it was time to run the risk, going through the retail experience Dublin Airport calls “The Loop”.
Or as most of us know it – Duty Free.
Powerwalking through this takes you to Vista Coffee, which still thinks it’s a Starbucks. That’s… well. What’s the term? Branding is everything.
We all have identity crises sometimes.
Passing the coffee shop, you can either head down to the 100 Gates or turn left to the 200 Gates – and that’s where I was heading today.
And yes, this is exactly where I was an hour and a bit ago, as I backtracked to Gate 207. This is one of the older parts of Dublin Airport – and whilst it shows, it is still a reasonable enough place to wait for an aircraft – even if the amenities are a little bare here.
Or sleep waiting for an aircraft – like I did in the dim and distant past. There was no time for shut-eye today, as people were queuing for the Embraer to London City Airport.
Aer Lingus A330-300
Ryanair Boeing 737-800
Before boarding began, passengers were advised to finish their hot drinks – as these would not be allowed on the ramp, nor mobile phones.
Well, quite a few people ignored one of those instructions.
Boarding was done in groups as usual – I slipped into the priority queue.
With a blip of the boarding pass, I was cleared to board.
For me, it was time for the last flight of the day after a long day of being in metal tubes.
Next:
BA CtiyFlyer BA4469 – I remember why I like CityFlyer.
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